New Community Design to the Rescue

New Community Design to the Rescue

This report written by Joel S. Hirschorn and Paul Souza for the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices focuses on the ways in which better design and development can combat sprawl. Set out below is a portion of the report's Executive Summary. The full report can be downloaded from the NGA's web site.

"New Community Design (NCD) offers a distinct alternative to the developmental 'sprawl' that has dominated real estate growth over the last 50 years. NCD principles can be used to create vibrant neighborhoods of housing, parks, and schools within walking distance of shops, civic services, jobs, and transit—in short, a modern version of the traditional American town of times past. By many accounts, these are the types of neighborhoods many Americans want, but few are offered. Key features of NCD include extensive mixed land use, reduced land consumption, community centers, ample green space, transportation options, and building designs that reflect the local culture and harmonize with the natural environment. NCD projects also can help improve public health, preserve open space, and enhance environmental quality.

NCD is a powerful antidote to sprawl and a powerful tool for addressing many current growth problems. Moreover, by enhancing quality of life and place, NCD also becomes a strong contributor to overall economic development. More and more, businesses and talented labor are choosing to locate in areas where quality housing is available and affordable, traffic congestion is minimal, and attractive communities offer a range of recreational and social options.

NCD does not appeal to everyone, though about a third of home seekers would prefer to live in NCD communities if they were available (according to national surveys). However, few people have this choice. The level of NCD construction in recent years is but a fraction—less than 1 percent—of total housing construction. The problem is not insufficient consumer demand but, rather, extremely little supply. As traffic congestion and other impacts of suburban living affect more people, interest in NCD will surely expand. Those millions of Americans need more choice in the market.

Unfortunately, the current real estate development market has been biased toward sprawl.

Zoning laws encourage sprawl and other single land-use development, and they block mixed land-use schemes that lie at the heart of NCD.

Though new sprawl development requires costly public infrastructure (including roads, chools, sewers, and water connections), most of these costs are passed through the broader tax base of the locality, providing little incentive to build in older areas with existing infrastructure.

Building codes favor new construction over rehabilitation and reuse of older buildings.

NCD can be a successful alternative to sprawl, but it needs leadership at both the public and private levels to succeed. Innovative developers and homebuilders are discovering profitable NCD opportunities, but perseverance and vision are required to get such projects off the ground. Likewise, NCD tests the willingness of governments to approve projects that often involve changes to standard zoning and that challenge the traditional 'templates' of community design. Finally, the financial community also must look beyond short-term profits to more innovative ways of satisfying consumer demand. The evidence is in, however, that enough Americans prefer NCD communities to make them a market success. By leveling the regulatory playing field and supporting NCD, states and local governments can serve their financial and economic growth interests and help maximize consumer choice in the marketplace."